Chloe Zhang
Plastic pollution is a rising threat to all life on Earth, with plastic waste found in various ecosystems, from mountains to oceans. Marine animals are particularly vulnerable to plastic pollution, with over one million marine animals dying each year due to plastic in the ocean. This includes birds, fish, sharks, sea turtles, seals, whales, dolphins, and more. Land animals are also affected, with species such as deer, camels, and elephants dying from ingesting plastic. Plastic pollution harms wildlife through ingestion, entanglement, chemical poisoning, and the alteration of their living spaces. It is essential to address this issue urgently and take collective action to protect ecosystems and the diverse array of life they sustain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of marine animals killed by plastic each year | 100,000 (entanglement and ingestion) |
| Number of marine animals killed by plastic entanglement each year | 100,000 |
| Number of marine animals killed by plastic ingestion each year | 100,000 |
| Number of sea birds killed by plastic each year | 1,000,000 |
| Number of fish species affected by microplastics | Hundreds |
| Number of fish in the North Pacific that ingest plastic each year | 12,000-24,000 tons |
| Number of fish at markets in California that contained plastic in their guts | 25% |
| Number of sea turtles that have ingested plastic | 50% |
| Number of whales, dolphins, and porpoises that have consumed plastic | 56% |
| Number of land animals affected by plastic | Thousands |
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What You'll Learn
- Marine animals, including birds, fish, and mammals, ingest plastic, mistaking it for food
- Abandoned fishing gear, plastic bags, and soda can rings are common causes of entanglement
- Plastic ingestion leads to intestinal injury, internal organ damage, and death
- Land animals, such as deer, camels, and elephants, are also victims of plastic ingestion
- Plastic pollution affects entire ecosystems, including coral reefs and mangroves
Marine animals, including birds, fish, and mammals, ingest plastic, mistaking it for food
Plankton, shellfish, birds, fish, marine mammals, and sea turtles from all parts of the world and various ocean depths have been confirmed to ingest plastic debris. Passive feeders, or animals that filter their food from water or soil, may unintentionally eat microplastics with their food. For example, when molluscs such as mussels and oysters filter seawater to feed, they also take in human-created pollutants, including microplastics. In a recent study of mussels sourced from UK waters, 100% of samples were found to contain microplastic pieces. Baleen whales, too, fall into this category of passive feeders, and are known to consume microplastics.
Active feeders, on the other hand, search for and capture their food, and may accidentally ingest plastic marine debris while eating their prey, which may have also eaten plastic. This includes birds, fish, turtles, and toothed whales. For example, albatrosses, fulmars, and shearwaters are among the seabird species that may be most affected by marine debris as it can get stuck in their gizzards. Marine mammals are also known to eat debris, ranging from microplastics to plastic sheets and bags. A review by Kühn and van Franeker found that 69 species of marine mammals have been found to ingest debris—that's 56% of all marine mammals. This includes 44 species of odontocetes (toothed whales), manatees, and multiple seal species.
The ingestion of plastic can lead to loss of nutrition, internal injury, intestinal blockage, starvation, and even death. Sharp or rough plastic marine debris can create cuts in the digestive system, leading to infection and internal bleeding. It can also block their digestive system, making them feel full, reducing their urge to eat, and making it difficult for the animal to get the nutrients they need. Marine debris and the chemicals in plastics can also impact the function of an animal’s immune or reproductive systems.
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Abandoned fishing gear, plastic bags, and soda can rings are common causes of entanglement
Abandoned Fishing Gear
Discarded fishing nets, lines, and other gear, also known as "ghost gear", are a significant threat to marine animals. This equipment is designed to be durable and resistant, making it challenging for animals to break free once entangled. A humpback whale off the coast of Mallorca was found entangled in ghost gear, with a fishing net wrapped tightly around its body. Fortunately, a rescue team was able to free the whale, but many other animals are not so lucky. According to reports, millions of sea animals are mutilated or killed each year due to abandoned fishing gear.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags are another major cause of entanglement and injury for both land and marine animals. The durability of plastic bags allows them to persist in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years, endangering wildlife over extended periods. Birds, such as flamingos and pelicans, have been reported to suffer entanglement and strangulation from plastic bags. A platypus was observed with deep cuts caused by a plastic bag entangled around its body. Additionally, plastic bags can be mistaken for food, leading to ingestion and internal injuries. A tagged 10-foot crocodile in Australia was found dead, having consumed 25 plastic shopping and garbage bags.
Soda Can Rings
Soda can rings, also known as six-pack rings, were introduced in the 1960s as a replacement for paper holders. However, they quickly became recognized as a dangerous form of marine litter, capable of entangling and strangling marine animals. These rings can restrict the movement of animals, leading to injury or death. Peanut, a freshwater turtle, was rescued after getting stuck in a six-pack ring, but her shell had warped around the plastic as she grew. While some countries have mandated the use of photodegradable rings, which break down in sunlight, this does not solve the issue in the ocean, where degradation takes significantly longer.
The issue of animal entanglement caused by abandoned items is a pressing global concern. While some animals are fortunate enough to be rescued, the pervasive nature of these items in the environment poses a constant threat to wildlife.
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Plastic ingestion leads to intestinal injury, internal organ damage, and death
It is challenging to determine the exact number of animals injured by plastic, but it is safe to assume that the number is vast and continues to rise. According to Ocean Crusaders, plastic kills around one million seabirds annually, and plastic entanglement alone kills approximately 100,000 marine animals each year. Conserve Turtles reports similar figures, indicating that more than one million marine animals, including birds, fish, sharks, sea turtles, and others, perish from ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic waste.
Plastic ingestion has detrimental effects on animals, leading to intestinal injury, internal organ damage, and death. The sharp edges of plastic debris can pierce the digestive tract, causing internal bleeding and organ failure. Plastic can also block the digestive system, resulting in reduced stomach storage volume, malnutrition, and starvation. This blockage can make animals feel full, reducing their urge to eat, which, over time, leads to starvation. In addition, ingested plastic may release harmful chemicals, causing further internal organ damage and intestinal injury.
The impact of plastic ingestion on wildlife was first observed in 1966 when researchers found plastic container lids and toys in dead Laysan albatross chicks. Since then, plastic ingestion has been confirmed in over 700 species, including seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals. A review by Kühn and van Franeker estimated that 32% of sea turtles have plastic marine debris in their stomachs, often resembling their jellyfish prey or floating plastic that breaks into small pieces.
Plankton, shellfish, birds, fish, marine mammals, and sea turtles from various parts of the ocean and different depths have been found to ingest plastic debris. Passive feeders, such as filter-feeding plankton and shellfish, are particularly vulnerable to ingesting microplastics with their food. Active feeders, like birds and fish, may also ingest plastic accidentally while feeding or consuming prey that has already ingested plastic.
The consequences of plastic ingestion are severe and often fatal. It causes intestinal injury, internal bleeding, organ failure, and death in various animal species, including land animals such as elephants, zebras, tigers, camels, and cattle. These animals accidentally consume plastic waste, leading to unnecessary deaths. For example, a wild elephant in Periyar, India, died in 2018 due to plastic ingestion, with plastic blocking its intestines and causing internal bleeding and organ failure.
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Land animals, such as deer, camels, and elephants, are also victims of plastic ingestion
Plastic pollution is a rising threat to all life on Earth, including land animals such as deer, camels, and elephants. These animals are often victims of plastic ingestion, which can lead to serious health issues and even death.
Deer, for example, are naturally curious creatures that often sample unusual objects. Plastic waste, such as bags, baling twine, and cartridge cases, have been found in the stomachs of dead deer. In Japan, the iconic Nara deer population has suffered from plastic pollution, with tourists unknowingly introducing plastic waste into their environment through feeding activities. Similar issues have been observed in the United Kingdom, where deer have been affected by plastic pollution despite regulations prohibiting feeding.
Camels are also susceptible to ingesting plastic, with researchers estimating that about 1% of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the United Arab Emirates die due to plastic ingestion. The ingested plastic accumulates in their stomachs, forming masses called polybezoars that can weigh up to 64 kilograms. These gut-clogging clumps can block intestines, leak toxins, or give camels a false sense of fullness, leading them to stop eating and slowly starve.
Elephants are not exempt from the dangers of plastic ingestion. A study on Asian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) in the forested landscapes of Uttarakhand, India, found plastic particles in elephant dung samples. The presence of plastic was higher in samples collected from inside the forest compared to the forest edge, highlighting the vulnerability of these endangered mammals to plastic ingestion.
The impact of plastic ingestion on land animals underscores the urgent need to address plastic pollution and promote responsible waste management practices. By reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic products, we can help minimize the threat posed to deer, camels, elephants, and other wildlife species.
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Plastic pollution affects entire ecosystems, including coral reefs and mangroves
Plastic pollution is a rising threat to all life on Earth, and it affects all land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. This includes coral reefs and mangroves, which are already declining due to various man-made impacts.
Coral reefs are negatively affected by plastic pollution in several ways. Abandoned fishing gear, such as gill nets, can smother and entangle corals, leading to the degradation of these ecosystems. Plastic pollution also contributes to the proliferation of algae, which can cause harmful algae blooms and deplete the health of coral reef ecosystems. These blooms can lead to economic losses in fishery and tourism-related activities, as coral watching, snorkelling, and scuba diving become less viable.
Mangroves, another vital ecosystem, are also harmed by plastic pollution. Mangroves provide essential coastal protection services, but they are disappearing due to multiple man-made threats, including plastic waste. However, there is a lack of field studies and systematic monitoring to fully understand the impact of plastic pollution on mangrove ecosystems.
Plastic pollution affects not just the ecosystems themselves but also the organisms that depend on them. Marine animals, such as turtles, birds, whales, fish, and sharks, often mistake plastic waste for food, leading to internal injuries, starvation, and death. Abandoned fishing gear and plastic nets can entangle and trap marine animals, a phenomenon known as "ghost fishing," resulting in the deaths of over one million marine animals each year.
The impact of plastic pollution extends beyond marine ecosystems. Land animals, such as deer, camels, and elephants, are also victims of plastic consumption, ingesting plastic bags and other single-use plastic items. Even grazing animals on land fall victim to plastic consumption, as they cannot distinguish between plastic and grass.
To protect ecosystems and the wildlife that depends on them, it is crucial to reduce plastic production, phase out single-use plastics, and promote reusable alternatives. Every piece of plastic that is not discarded can make a difference in saving the lives of animals and maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
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Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to know the exact number of animals injured by plastic, but it is estimated that 100,000 marine animals are injured or killed by plastic each year. This number is likely to be higher as many animals injured or killed by plastic may decompose before being discovered.
Animals can be injured by plastic through ingestion, entanglement, or chemical poisoning. They may mistake plastic for food or become trapped in plastic waste, such as nets, ropes, and plastic rings.
Marine animals, such as whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and seabirds, are particularly vulnerable to plastic pollution. However, land animals, including elephants, zebras, camels, and cattle, are also affected.
We can reduce the number of animal injuries caused by plastic by reducing our use of single-use plastics and disposing of plastic waste properly. Recycling, reusing, and refusing unnecessary plastic items can also help decrease the amount of plastic that ends up in the environment and harms animals.
